PRESS DIGEST- British Business - Nov 17

Nov 17 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

The Times

* Prudential Plc is scaling up its ambitions in Asia with plans to open a fund management venture in China and to double in size in the region every few years. bit.ly/2jxRjAk

* WPP said it was prepared to increase its stake in Asatsu-DK, one of the largest marketing services companies in Japan, to about a third after requests from other shareholders. bit.ly/2jwULvg

The Guardian

* The business secretary, Greg Clark, has been urged by the GMB union to block the proposed merger of German energy group Innogy's British unit, npower with SSE's British retail supply business .bit.ly/2jxZCMG

* The chief executive designate of GKN, Kevin Cummings, has been ousted from the FTSE 100 company weeks before he was due to take up the top job at the aerospace and engineering firm. bit.ly/2jz3GvX

The Telegraph

* Jaguar Land Rover has quietly started testing driverless cars on British roads that are simultaneously being used by the general public, in a clear indication that Britain's biggest manufacturer is determined the country will play a leading role in the race to develop autonomous vehicles. bit.ly/2jyNx9Z

* The Serious Fraud Office has made its first charges against Unaoil employees in relation to a corruption scandal that has engulfed the oil and gas industry. bit.ly/2jy7he2

Sky News

* The boss of U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs, Lloyd Blankfein, has used his latest Twitter post on Brexit to suggest a second referendum is held. bit.ly/2jyVwnr

* The GMB union's Scotland secretary, Gary Smith, has told Sky News a dispute threatening 1,400 jobs is a battle for the future of skilled manufacturing in Scotland. bit.ly/2jy60U4

The Independent

* Rail passengers on the UK's leading long-distance network face disruption and cancellations after Virgin Trains staff belonging to the RMT union voted to strike by a majority of 10 to one. ind.pn/2jvIwil

* Retail sales continued to grow in October according to the latest official data, easing some of the fears of a plunge in consumer spending. A survey of retailers by the CBI had suggested the fastest rate of decline in sales in October since the UK's last recession in 2009. ind.pn/2jyWfFb